Human Rights and Wrongs

Who is the UNHCR really interested in?

On 29 September 2005, the UNHCR’s Warsaw office held a meeting, which involved representatives from the UNCHR Budapest office and the Polish Ministry of the Interior to collect information about the situation of refugees, asylum seekers and people holding tolerated stay permits in Poland.

The Association for Asylum Seekers and Refugees in Poland, the only grassroots organisation run by and for refugees in Poland, was not invited. Representatives of other NGOs were invited, Polish Humanitarian Action and their friends, as well as individuals in the categories concerned.

The kinds of questions that were asked of participants included when they arrived in Poland; what the situation is like for them and refugees they know; what their relationship is like with the Polish community; their experience of racism; whether they are working; and whether they received legal assistance if it was needed.

The Association for Asylum Seekers and Refugees in Poland was very disappointed at having been excluded from the meeting as members of the association include many different nationalities and the association could have provided a broad base of individuals to take part in the information gathering.

The UNHCR has been aware of the association since its birth and is kept well informed of current events and activities. It is regrettable that the UNHCR seems unwilling to involve the association in their activities. Surely, the association is an organisation the UNHCR should be eager to cooperate with, as we are all working for common goals.

It is to be hoped that the UNHCR’s approach will become more inclusive and demonstrate willingness to cooperate with the people it was set up to help.

posted by Becca @ 11:24 am